We were visiting Gahanna to spend time with family. Being fans of Holiday Inn Express we chose the Gahanna /Columbus Airport East Hotel because of being nearby. From the moment we walked into the lobby We were treated like VIP's. Our hotel room was upgraded. And best of all they even got our name right. The room was clean and quite nice. There were just two little problems that should be attended to. The hot water knob on the sink had been stripped so we woke up in the middle of the night with it flowing full blast. It took awhile to move it to the position where it would stay off. By then I was wide awake. But that was OK as I enjoyed catching up on the internet. The second problem was on the tub surround. There was a fairly large crack on the back wall near the faucet. If it isn't repaired soon Mold will grow and can cause problems for those who are sensitive. I feel that the cleaning crew have forgotten to report these problems to maintaince. The breakfast was typical HIE, Not bad, but not Fantastic either. But I will admit I am getting jaded towards the food. I will stay here again and can honestly recommend it to others.

This hotel has a great stay and fly package. We stay here whenever we fly out of Columbus. The rooms are great and the staff is friendly. Shuttle to and from the airport is always prompt.

It was okay. Convenient to the airport. Few restaurant choices around. Not a lot of attention to details. It was a windy and rainy day, and the air was whistling through the leaky window. Coffee maker didn't work and tripped the GFI several times. Rooms were pretty clean and breakfast was the normal HIE stuff, which is nice. The workout equipment was not great. Two of the treadmills suddenly shut down on me at about 10mph and I about fell off. Nice big TV in the room and the staff was very friendly.

Just a few days ago we returned home following my wife's surgery at Mt. Carmel Surgical Hospital in New Albany, Ohio (N.E. suburb of Columbus some 20 minutes from the hotel). We went to Columbus the night before she checked into the hospital to avoid a tiring two-hour drive on check-in day. Checking into the Holiday Inn Express (H.I.X.) in Gahanna was as easy as finding the place in the first place (thanks to TomTom and Google). The third-floor room was clean, comfortable, and roomy. The ceiling fan in the bathroom was noisy but not so much after it had run a few minutes. We purchased a couple LED nightlights so it wouldn't have to be on all night (it was tied into the bathroom lighting which we normally leave on as a nightlight).

Following dinner at Logan's Roadhouse (Easton Center, a few miles away) I swam alone in the sizable indoor pool at the hotel. There was no swirling spa but the water was almost spa temperature (too warm for my tastes but my wife would have loved it). The pool was conveniently located right around the corner from the elevators so there was no parading through the lobby dripping wet afterwards.

The next morning, my wife couldn't eat because of her upcoming surgery, but I sure did--enough for both of us. While most "free" hotel breakfasts consist of just standard continental fare, this place also had biscuits, sausage gravy, bacon, scrambled eggs (on the dry side) and the first "pancake machine" I'd ever encountered. The thing rolls them out like a copier, two at a time onto a Styrofoam plate. Although they tasted okay, they had a "polished" look to them and were not quite tender enough to cut with the accompanying plastic forks. They had accompanying plastic knifes for that. The second morning there were nicely thawed omelets and sausage patties. But all that aside, the real stars of the breakfast showcase were the cinnamon rolls. I had two each morning. The cook confessed she had trouble NOT eating them all herself.

I'd planned to stay four nights but my wife's surgery went so well the hospital (and the insurance company) sprung her a day early so I missed my fourth consecutive rendezvous with the cinnamon rolls. However, I did have the foresight to fortify myself with a batch of Max & Erma's chocolate chip cookies (boxed to go) the night before. One of the Columbus chain's dining landmarks was just eight miles north on Hamilton Road from the hotel. There's an even closer one by the airport. Next door to the hotel is a run-of-the-mill Frisch's and next door to that a Bob Evans Country Restaurant for those not in the mood to drive.

Though located only about a mile from Port Columbus, the planes could only be heard outside the hotel. Speaking of planes,the H.I.X. has a "park-n-fly" package. There's also a small fitness center with three or four treadmills, which, being the cinnamon roll/chocolate chip cookie type, I didn't have the urge to utilize. Our room rate was presumably special for Mt. Carmel patients and their families, but it was actually the same rate as for AARP members. Our bill came to just over one hundred per night counting the hefty hotel taxes levied by Columbus and Gahanna.

Whether flying out or going under the knife, this H.I.X is a safe bet either way.